Texas House Disappears in Big Ka-Boom

Errant Auger Punctures Gas Main

A DUPLEX HOME IN LEWISVILLE, TEXAS, was obliterated Friday afternoon a little more than two hours after a construction crew accidentally cut a gas main farther down the street. They were replacing a power pole when their auger hit the gas line six feet down.

KDFW-TV

KXAS-TV reported:

The home exploded at 12:30 p.m., while crews were working to repair a gas leak. Construction workers mistakenly cut a 4-inch gas line in the area at about 10 a.m., investigators said.

Emergency crews at the time told NBC 5 they had the issue under control and that no evacuations were necessary. But fire officials later told another NBC 5 reporter that they had evacuated a block downwind of the gas leak. The house that exploded was not included in the evacuations.

None of the surrounding homes or businesses were damaged in the explosion.

A man who was inside the duplex was critically injured and taken to Medical Center of Lewisville. He underwent surgery and was later airlifted to Medical Center of Plano, where he was in intensive care Friday night. He is expected to survive.

The victim is believed to have been the only current resident of the duplex which is owned by a charitable organization which provides housing for people in need of assistance.

Two firefighters nearby were also injured and were treated and released.

Gas company and government authorities are continuing their investigation today into what caused the explosion.

KXAS-TV filed a good video report from the scene that includes some fire footage: